I finally finished 'You are Here'. It was reviewed by some to be a poetic book on science, but I didn't find it very poetic.. maybe only towards the end.
I like a poem quoted on the last chapter of the book:
Sweet is the lore which Nature brings;
Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:-
We murder to dissect.
Enough of science and of art;
Close up these barren leaves;
Come forth, and bring with you a heart
That watches and receives.
(William Wordsworth, 'The Tables Turned')
Notice the name of the poet? 'Wordsworth' I guess he is! :D
I did read a lot of interesting findings (which may or may not be correct - but found to be correct at this point of time, with the current ability of humans). Some of which I've quoted in previous posts.
Among others are :
*| The only conclusion seems to be that all our ancestors died out, except for a single group from which all humans alive today are descended. This single group was no bigger than a few hundred people living in a single region of the world about 50,000 years ago, perhaps even earlier. (Now, I'm thinking of the great Flood and Prophet Noah A.S "They rejected him (Noah A.S.) but we delivered him, and those with him in the Ark, and We made them inherit (the earth), while We overwhelmed in the Flood those who rejected Our Signs. Then see what was the end of those who were warned (but heeded not)" ~ Quran, Yunus 10:76
*| A computer model made by the physicist Rasmus Bjork in 2007, predicts that it would take 10 billion years to explore just 4 percent of the universe, even if we could travel at a tenth the speed of light, a speed that is far beyond our abilities for the foreseeable future, and perhaps forever. (How GREAT the universe is? and inevitably how even GREATER the Creator is! Allahu Akbar - God is GREAT)
There are a few others that, for me, relates back to what I've learned and understand in Islam. I wish I can write them all here, but I'm not mentally prepared to do a research right now, to look up what I was thinking about, because I can't state it here if I'm cannot prove it to be from a true source. So, I'm not going to. For now. :)
Over and out for now.
Madame Blossom's Book of Poems
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
not for naught
There is evidence that cyanobacteria was dissociating carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen 3.5 billion years ago. All the world's oxygen is here as a gift of the photosynthesising bacteria kingdoms. Without bacteria there would be no oxygen.
(You are Here, pg 229)
"...Our Lord! not for naught hast Thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire."
Al Quran, Ali Imran 3:191
(You are Here, pg 229)
"...Our Lord! not for naught hast Thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire."
Al Quran, Ali Imran 3:191
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
How to avoid food wastage during Ramadhan?
Come Ramadhan we'll always face food excess. We always have much much more food than we need for iftar/sahur. Sometimes it's not really anyone's fault. It's just poor cultural habit perhaps.
People want to share their food with others, the neighbours etc. This normally comes as a surprise. And that's the thing that causes food excess. Those people are not aware that there'll be more food coming, so they've already prepared enough (or a little more than enough) food for everyone.. then comes more surprise food.
I wonder if it's possible to start the habit of informing the other party way before hand, that they would like to give some food and what food. This will allow the other party to gauge, how much food they should prepare, in expectation of the extra food that's coming.
In Dubai, I hear, people invite their neighbours to have iftar over at their place, early in the morning! I think that is good! I mean after all, if we're going to feed a fasting person.. feed betul2 sekali eh.. rather than give a bit of what they cook.
And the thing is, I find that during fasting, we truly need much less food than non fasting days(that should be obvious :p) I mean in terms of consumption PER meal. The amount of food required to satisfy you, is lesser when you're fasting, then when you're not. That's why when people eat their normal full meal during iftar, they always feel bloated. (disclaimer : this is not a scientific finding, this is my own observation).
In any case, I truly hope, I will be able to improve on not wasting food at home during Ramadhan. InsyaAllah.
People want to share their food with others, the neighbours etc. This normally comes as a surprise. And that's the thing that causes food excess. Those people are not aware that there'll be more food coming, so they've already prepared enough (or a little more than enough) food for everyone.. then comes more surprise food.
I wonder if it's possible to start the habit of informing the other party way before hand, that they would like to give some food and what food. This will allow the other party to gauge, how much food they should prepare, in expectation of the extra food that's coming.
In Dubai, I hear, people invite their neighbours to have iftar over at their place, early in the morning! I think that is good! I mean after all, if we're going to feed a fasting person.. feed betul2 sekali eh.. rather than give a bit of what they cook.
And the thing is, I find that during fasting, we truly need much less food than non fasting days(that should be obvious :p) I mean in terms of consumption PER meal. The amount of food required to satisfy you, is lesser when you're fasting, then when you're not. That's why when people eat their normal full meal during iftar, they always feel bloated. (disclaimer : this is not a scientific finding, this is my own observation).
In any case, I truly hope, I will be able to improve on not wasting food at home during Ramadhan. InsyaAllah.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
a plan to think about
Nadhrah
Nadhrah pun nak iphone..
Eema
Ya, why can't we get an iphone?
Me
Pasal kalau nak beli iphone kena ada plan dia.
Nadhrah
Oh, kalau nak beli iphone, kita kena think dulu eh?
Me
Think?
Nadhrah
pasal kita takde plan..
p.s. Salam Ramadan! and may we all have a blessed month and achieve as much goodness as we can. Ameen.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
To ensure honesty and fairness in business dealings
"Oh ye who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves in vanities : but let there be amongst you traffic and trade by mutual good-will.."
Quran, An Nisaa 4:29
God encourages trade amongst us. A good muslim businessman, must be honest and most importantly fair. God warns the businessman against unfairness and fraud, in his dealings.
Give full measure when ye measure, and weigh with a balance that is traight. that is the most fitting and the most advantageious in the final determination.
Quran, Al-Isra' 17:35
Then, there is even a whole surah on Dealing in Fraud..
"Woe to those that deal in fraud. Those who, when they have to receive by measure from men, exact full measure. But when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than due. Do they not think that they will be called to account? On a Mighty Day. A Day when all mankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds? ..."
Quran, Al Mutaffifin, 83:1-6
Quran, An Nisaa 4:29
God encourages trade amongst us. A good muslim businessman, must be honest and most importantly fair. God warns the businessman against unfairness and fraud, in his dealings.
Give full measure when ye measure, and weigh with a balance that is traight. that is the most fitting and the most advantageious in the final determination.
Quran, Al-Isra' 17:35
Then, there is even a whole surah on Dealing in Fraud..
"Woe to those that deal in fraud. Those who, when they have to receive by measure from men, exact full measure. But when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than due. Do they not think that they will be called to account? On a Mighty Day. A Day when all mankind will stand before the Lord of the Worlds? ..."
Quran, Al Mutaffifin, 83:1-6
What are we celebrating anyway?
There are a lot of things that we do in this world, because other people do it, but for which we don't really think about - like what is the objective?
I'm sure you KNOW, the hype around mother's day, father's day, teacher's day, valentine's day - is just a way to boost the economy a bit. But is there a true meaning in these days? If appreciation is to be shown sincerely, it can be shown ANY day at all. You can make them feel special everyday, and surprise them with dinner or presents(and it would be a REAL surprise) on any other day - when prices are more normal.
Then, there's the birthdays. When a kid is like 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12... yes.. MAYBE we can celebrate them getting older - for THEIR own sake. No no, it shouldn't be to make the PARENTS happy and the child distressed (like what happens in most birthdays for one-year olds and some 2-yr olds).
But as you get older, what IS it that we're celebrating? Because the one thing I'm always reminded about on these birthdays is that another year has gone by, so that's one less year to live. How much more time? Now, do we celebrate this with balloons and presents?
Or should we ponder over it, by making doa that whatever is left of our life on earth, let be a good and beneficial one.. that will help us attain goodness in this world AND more importantly, in the Hereafter. Ameen.
Then okaaay.. perhaps the one whose birthday is on that day, may want to treat some people for a meal - because that would add on to the book of good deeds, and therefore help him achieve the objective. Yeah.
(Allah selamatkan kamu.. jeng 3X) X 2
Allah selamatkan kita semua..
Allah selamatkan kamu. jeng 3X
Ameen.
Wallahu'alam. May Allah guide us all.
This is just a thought (see the tag.. 'thoughts' :D, and I don't make any judgements on anyone who celebrates their birthday. It's just me, for my own.
I'm sure you KNOW, the hype around mother's day, father's day, teacher's day, valentine's day - is just a way to boost the economy a bit. But is there a true meaning in these days? If appreciation is to be shown sincerely, it can be shown ANY day at all. You can make them feel special everyday, and surprise them with dinner or presents(and it would be a REAL surprise) on any other day - when prices are more normal.
Then, there's the birthdays. When a kid is like 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12... yes.. MAYBE we can celebrate them getting older - for THEIR own sake. No no, it shouldn't be to make the PARENTS happy and the child distressed (like what happens in most birthdays for one-year olds and some 2-yr olds).
But as you get older, what IS it that we're celebrating? Because the one thing I'm always reminded about on these birthdays is that another year has gone by, so that's one less year to live. How much more time? Now, do we celebrate this with balloons and presents?
Or should we ponder over it, by making doa that whatever is left of our life on earth, let be a good and beneficial one.. that will help us attain goodness in this world AND more importantly, in the Hereafter. Ameen.
Then okaaay.. perhaps the one whose birthday is on that day, may want to treat some people for a meal - because that would add on to the book of good deeds, and therefore help him achieve the objective. Yeah.
(Allah selamatkan kamu.. jeng 3X) X 2
Allah selamatkan kita semua..
Allah selamatkan kamu. jeng 3X
Ameen.
Wallahu'alam. May Allah guide us all.
This is just a thought (see the tag.. 'thoughts' :D, and I don't make any judgements on anyone who celebrates their birthday. It's just me, for my own.
In space with big planets.
I was looking out into space, from a spacious space shuttle. Next minute I know, I was outside, and flying around the big planets. There were planets where u can see buildings jutting out.. they were all quite close to each other. I flew between them, downwards, upwards. I even did a somersault in space. I may have been flying with Hanaa, don't remember but when I was back in the space shuttle, I was holding Hanaa's hands, and we had loads of balloons (I guess, tks to the movie UP).. and we walk about the space shuttle, and I woke up.
Nice. Alhamdulillah :)
Nice. Alhamdulillah :)
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Can't just say it all.
There were quite a few 'sensitive' issues, that I was pondering about and I jot down. But I have just deleted a long intended blog entry. I'm thinking twice/thrice and concluded that some things, cannot be put in the open by some people.. Some issues can only be or need only be brought up to specific people at specific times. Because the general public will most likely view it negatively, especially when they fail to see the perspective by which it's being laid out. Yes, generally people are judgemental.. sad but undeniably true.
WELL... live goes on! For now. But go about it cautiously.
WELL... live goes on! For now. But go about it cautiously.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Science and the Quran
Many many videos and writings have been raised now about scientific findings that is mentioned in the Quran that existed more than 1400 yrs ago.
During the first few discoveries of these articles, I thought and felt - 'wow.. science has proven the Quran to be the truth!' But now, as I have, masyaAllah & alhamdulillah, become firm in my believe of The Creator, and that the Quran comes from The Creator - my line of thoughts have changed. Furthermore, reading about how scientists work - further affirm the way I think.
Scientists basically come up with conjectures, guesses. Then they do experiments to see IF their conjectures are correct. They have many times in the past, done some experiment that 'proves' their guesses to be correct - but found to be wrong later, when the experiment is done on a bigger scale or with different conditions. Scientist do know, that they do not know A LOT about the universe. They are still trying to learn. The more they learn, the more they see how unimaginably big the universe is.
They are trying to find the Theory of Everything (TOE), but only God knows the TOE.
Now, I think and say that modern science is not the guide to show if the Quran is the truth. It's the Quran that is the guide for modern science, to see if they are heading the right way, in their findings.
During the first few discoveries of these articles, I thought and felt - 'wow.. science has proven the Quran to be the truth!' But now, as I have, masyaAllah & alhamdulillah, become firm in my believe of The Creator, and that the Quran comes from The Creator - my line of thoughts have changed. Furthermore, reading about how scientists work - further affirm the way I think.
Scientists basically come up with conjectures, guesses. Then they do experiments to see IF their conjectures are correct. They have many times in the past, done some experiment that 'proves' their guesses to be correct - but found to be wrong later, when the experiment is done on a bigger scale or with different conditions. Scientist do know, that they do not know A LOT about the universe. They are still trying to learn. The more they learn, the more they see how unimaginably big the universe is.
They are trying to find the Theory of Everything (TOE), but only God knows the TOE.
Now, I think and say that modern science is not the guide to show if the Quran is the truth. It's the Quran that is the guide for modern science, to see if they are heading the right way, in their findings.
Monday, August 03, 2009
Saturday, August 01, 2009
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